


reconcile();

by tatersalad5001



Series: return false; [5]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Agender Chara, Gen, Mild Language, Nonbinary Frisk, POV Second Person, Post-Undertale Soulless Pacifist Route, Reader Is Chara, Spoilers - Undertale Genocide Route, Spoilers - Undertale Pacifist Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-28 18:45:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8458834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatersalad5001/pseuds/tatersalad5001
Summary: The barrier is gone, and monsters are on the surface. For the most part, things are happy now. But there's someone who still hasn't left Mt Ebott, and you can't forget them, even if they want you to.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This actually started off a vent fic...and went off the rails into something actually happening. It does start to showcase surface life and monsters a little as well, and I'd like to do that more in the future. I'm getting way too self indulgent with this timeline, though. It's becoming very personal to me. I'm very glad that so far, I'm not the only person who's enjoyed it. Thank you.

"You're so pathetic..." you grumbled, left hand struggling to open a simple bottle of water. Your hand slid along the edge of the bottle's top and you hissed, pulling away. A red imprint glared at you from the middle of your palm. The bottle was still not open. "This damn body can't do anything. I can't believe you killed everyone like this."

The incorporeal kid sitting across from you on your bed shrugged with a grin. Love was a powerful thing. Made the impossible possible. You ignored them.

Time had passed since you and Az had broken the barrier. The body you inhabited was barely recognizable as that kid's. Their hair was now cut into your old haircut. Their nose and cheeks had become as rosy yours used to be, almost immediately when you woke up in this body. Their old clothes were long abandoned; you had picked out new ones for yourself after you began living with your mother again. Whatever name they'd had before (you never cared to remember even if you had found out) was thrown away. You were Chara Dreemurr, and no one else. All that betrayed you were minor details: their nose was a bit smaller than yours, and their red eyes just noticeably different from the brown ones you'd had.

As far as everyone else was concerned. The kid died when they fell. They were gone, to everyone but you.

You wished that some other child had fallen instead. Not just because of the penultimate run through the Underground. Many parts of their body, including their hands, were weak, you constantly felt like your joints were on fire. It's not like your body had been without problems, but it was painful, inconvenient. Hard.

Finally getting the bottle of water open and taking a sip, you turned your focus on the task at hand. Carefully opoening this next bottle, you began applying a base coat of nail polish to your nails. Not really your thing, but it kept you from tearing up your fingers, at least.

The kid on the other side of your bed was snickering. You tried to ignore it, but it only grew more obnoxious. You were only halfway through the base coat before you finally acknowledged them.

"What?!" you demanded, eyes snapping up to glare at them.

They smiled back as you paused. Slowly, they leaned forward, examining the color you had picked out. Then they eyed the clothes you were wearing. Their smile grew. The accusation was amused, though calm. They weren't bothered by your mood at all.

_Dark and depressing much, Chara Dreemurr?_

You looked down at the dark green nail polish you were about to apply. You glanced at the light gray shirt, covered in black stripes, you wore. Your black sweatpants caught your eye from your peripheral vision. You scowled. Their point stared you right in the face, but you refused to acknowledge it. "I'm not depressing," you grumbled. "It's not like you were all sunshine and rainbows. Excuse me for not being happy, I'm not used to being  _you_ yet." You had a point, honestly. The kid had become way happier and open after losing their soul.

They grinned at you. You quietly went back to painting your nails. You both sat in silence for some time.

_How're you supposed to get into gardening if you make your hands all pretty like that, anyway?_

Come on, you were enjoying the silence. You refused to stop this time. You were almost done with the second coat of color. "I don't care how I look," you told them. "It's not to look pretty. Mom thinks it'll help, that's all."

They shrugged. They were losing interest. You weren't.

"You know." Time to apply the top coat. "Gardening would be more fun if it wasn't...alone. I mean, I have Mom and Dad to help me, but...Az's a flower now. I could take care of him, I could keep him healthy."

They jumped off your bed, looked out the window. You knew that they didn't care, and they were trying not to listen. You didn't care.

"I wish he didn't want to stay down there...I miss him."

_Oh my god._

Startled, your gaze snapped up to look at them. Wait, had they...actually been listening?

_If you miss him so much, just go see him._

Huh? "But, I...I..." you stammered out. Your brain hadn't caught up to your ears and mouth yet.

_Worried about what_ she'll  _think? Just tell her. Take her if you want, she still doesn't have to know. Just_ go  _already, before you spend another week bitching about it._

Had you been complaining that much for that long? You chose not to comment and simply grumbled, "You're too young for words like that."

_You're barely older than me._ They stuck their tongue out at you in the window's reflection.

You rolled your eyes. What a child. "Whatever. I'll go and see him. I'll ask him if he wants to come back here or stay there. And whatever he says, I'll live with it. But I'll take Mom, too. It'll be easier on her that way, or else she'll worry."

* * *

"I had no idea anyone was still in the Ruins, my child." Toriel flipped a switch, allowimg them to progress backwards through the Underground. Her eyes were fixed on something unseen. "I am not doubting you, but are you sure they are here?"

"He's here," you assured her. "He's just...shy. We'll find him."

"Alright. I trust you."

Everything was a success so far. You'd entered the Underground backward from New Home and gone back all the way to the Ruins. Asriel hadn't shown up anyway, but you weren't surprised. You had a feeling you knew exactly where he was.

The Ruins themselves were quiet, only filled with the sounds of running water. No one else was around; by now, everyone that had been here had left. It was quiet and vacant, but not lonely or dismal. In fact, it almost seemed the same as it ever was. It felt like coming home again.

 "We have not been back here for some time now..." Toriel looked around the Ruins with a smile, eyes shining. "Even if we were trapped, we have made so many fond memories here..." Her gaze turns towards you, even brighter. "Greatest among them was you joining our family. I am so glad you found us, child."

You pushed a rock into place and looked away. A shy smile settled onto your face. Despite everything, she still loved you, didn't she...?

It wasn't much longer before you reached the entrance to the Ruins. You stopped and bent down to rub some water into your face, then continued. You were approaching where it all started. The Ruins' light behind you now, it grew darker. The trickling sound of water faded. You slowed down, no longer looked ahead, but at your feet. Both you and Toriel had gone silent by this point. Only one person had one thing to say.

_Almost there. Are you sure about this? Do you really want to do this?_

The kid...you glanced over at them, and saw something in their eyes you hadn't seen there before. Not since you first met them, at least. Their sounded odd, as well. It was quite unlike them.

And then, he was there, in the next room. Az. You had a feeling you'd find him here, at this bed of golden flowers. Golden flowers you had once been so fond of, flowers you were trying to learn to love again. Flowers covering your own grave. He was at the bed's edge, face bent downward. Asriel nearly blended in with the flowers themselves. 

Toriel hung back in the previous room. You took a tentative step into the room, the incorporeal kid just beside you. It was time.

"Flowey...?" you asked quietly.

The flower's head snapped up. "Chara? Is that you?" He turned around, eyes wide. "Why are you here?"

"I wanted to see you again." Wrapping your arms around yourself, you took a few steps closer to him. "It's...pretty quiet down here. Not many monsters around anymore."

"That's fine. I don't care about any of them, anyway," he muttered.

"So..." You bit your lip. "How've you been? I haven't seen you...since the barrier came down."

"Exactly the same. You know exactly how I've been. You know I haven't done anything, or seen anything, or went anywhere. I've just been here."

"Yeah...I know."

He sighed, and was about to turn back around towards the flowers, but he stopped. His eyes locked onto Toriel, just visible in the previous room. "Wait. She's here?" He glared up at you, aggression flaring in his expression for a moment, before evaporating into something like fear. "Why is she here? You haven't said anything, have you? Did you tell her?"

"No!" You freed your arms, held up your hands up passively in front of you. "I haven't said anything, I promise. I haven't told anyone anything. I won't tell anyone anything. It's okay."

"...Thank you." Asriel relaxed, the flare up of emotion gone. "I know I can't be grateful, that that doesn't mean anything." He frowned, still looking up at you. "But I want to feel grateful, I wish I could. I know that I should. I want to mean it."

You smiled. "I know, it's more than enough. It's okay."

"Excuse me..." Toriel poked her head into the room, glancing all around. "I do not mean to intrude, but should I go? I can wait in the Ruins if needed. It should be safe for you both here, even though I'm still worried. I do not mind if you need the space."

You looked down at Asriel. He sighed. "No, it's okay. You don't have to leave," he told her.

"Then I will remain here, in this room. Take as much time as you need." She smiled and retreated back to her previous position.

The two of you smiled, but said nothing. It was Asriel that broke the silence.

"So why are you here?" An eyebrow morphed onto his face and rose. "You're not just here for a visit, are you? You're up to something. You always are."

You laughed, though it was hollow. "You caught me." For a moment, you couldn't meet his eyes. But you forced yourself to go on. "I...know you said you wanted to stay here. And whatever you want, I'll respect it. But I wanted...to make sure." You frowned. "I wanted to ask you again if you wanted to come with us to the surface."

"Why would I changed my mind?" he asked blankly. "Nothing's changed."

"Because...because...." ... "Because you can't be happy down here, by yourself."

"Happy? That's a laugh." And, indeed, he did laugh. "You know that's impossible. Someone like me will never be happy."

"Because you don't deserve to be alone," you continued.

"...Deserve?" His voice was quiet. "What I deserve? Don't talk about what I deserve, Chara. You know what I've done. I told you, all of it. I don't deserve company. I don't deserve the surface. We both know that."

"...If you don't, then neither do I," you whispered.

You were both startled by the sound of something shifting behind you. "If I may interject again." Toriel? "I do not want to be rude. I don't know what you're referring to, about what you've done. But I have done many things I regret, and the king has done many terrible things as well. There was a time that I thought similarly. I did not deserve freedom, or the wonderful family and friends that surrounded me." She sighed. "But that is not now. If you are truly sorry, if you regret what happened, then what happened no longer matters. No one deserves isolation, or to be trapped. You do not have to do this to yourself." She looked to the side, and then shuffled back, leaving the conversation.

You and Asriel looked at each other, then looked away. Neither of you knew how to respond to that, so you didn't. After a minute or two, you decided to move on, and continue with your reasoning.

"Because...I miss you," you told him. "I miss you. It's not the same without you. Your my best friend, Flowey...you said so yourself. I...hate leaving you alone like this."

He seemed taken aback by this. He stared at the ground, then up at you. He almost seemed unconvinced. "You...miss me?" he repeated.

"I miss you," you assured him.

As well as you could, you pulled Asriel into a hug. He did his best to reciprocate, leaning forward into you, though with only a stem he couldn't do much more. You could feel something wet on your shirt.

"You're not crying, are you?" you asked with a laugh. "Come on. You're such a cry baby. Big kids don't c-cry, you know." You could feel yourself tearing up too, but didn't mention it.

"Hee hee...nothing's changed." He was laughing as well, through the tears. 

You released him and wiped your eyes on your sleeve. "You don't have to do this to yourself, you know."

He hiccuped. "I know."

"But if you want to stay, I won't force you," you told him.

"I..." He sniffed. "I think I want to go with you," he said.

"Really? You really do?"

"Yeah...on one condition," Asriel decided. "I'm not... I'm Flowey. Flowey the flower. Your best friend. I'm not anyone else. Okay?"

"Okay," you agreed. The tears were coming on again. You smiled. "Even if it took this long...I'm glad you changed your mind."

"...I think I am, too. As much as I can." You carefully put something on the ground. A small box. You dug up some dirt and filled it, and your best friend went in it. As you picked him and his new box up, he frowned. "Before we go, just one question..."

"Go ahead."

His head turned, and he looked at something near you. You tried to follow suit, but couldn't manage; you couldn't look behind you. "Who's that standing right behind you?"

**Author's Note:**

> You've probably heard this a hundred times already, haven't you...? Well.... See you later... Chara.


End file.
